Nevada Juvenile Detention Center Sexual Abuse Lawsuits

Fighting for Survivors Sexually Abused in Nevada Youth Detention Facilities

For decades juvenile detention centers across Nevada have been home to the kinds of staff-on-inmate violence and sexual abuse that we never could have imagined. According to public reports and investigations, Nevada centers like Rite of Passage – Silver State Academy and Never Give Up Youth Healing Center, which were meant to be places for youth to turn their lives around, have instead contributed to the growing epidemic of sexual violence against children. 

Finally, survivors are stepping forward and forcing these facilities to take responsibility for the victimization that they experienced. And with the passage of SB203, the statute of limitations has been waived in many circumstances related to sexual abuse against minors. 

If you or someone you love was an inmate in a Nevada juvenile detention facility and experienced sexual abuse, Levy Konigsberg can help you in your fight for justice. We can help you find out what your compensation options are, and get you everything you deserve.

History of Sexual Abuse at Nevada Juvenile Detention and Youth Residential Treatment Facility

Interviews conducted by the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Statistics research have found an alarming amount of sexual abuse that occurred at the Rite of Passage – Silver State Academy, including: 

• 17.7% of youth experienced some form of sexual abuse by a staff member of the facility, nearly three times the national average among the nearly 200 facilities studied. 

• 12.6% of youth experienced use of force in sexual abuse involving a staff member.

Specific reports related to Rite of Passage – Silver State Academy include:

• In September 2002, a group leader at the school was criminally charged with having sexually assaulted three teens under his care, with these acts occurring between August and December 2001. 

Never Give Up Youth Healing Center

Never Give Up Youth Healing Center, in Nye County was a center for children with behavioral and psychological conditions that operated from 2016 until May of 2023. 

At that time, its license was revoked by both the Bureau of Health Care Quality and Compliance and the Nevada Department of Health and Human Safety, with all of the remaining youth then in the facility being transferred to other facilities or home. 

Criminal charges were made against staff at the facility related to sexual and physical abuse, and additional reports reveal more about the horrific conditions at the facility.

Examples include:

• In April 2022, Christopher Burleson was charged with raping a 16-year-old girl, forcing a 17-year-old girl to perform sex acts, and forcing a 14-year-old girl with a history of sexual abuse to answer inappropriate questions, which was done ‘for his own sexual gratification.

• In August 2022, Robert Hutshell was charged with sexual assault against a child under 14, lewdness with a child under 14 and sexual conduct with a child under his care, including an incident where he ‘laid his body on’ a 16-year-old youth; 
• Additional staff were also arrested on charges related to sexual abuse and misconduct as well as physical abuse related to the use of restraints. 

• Throughout 2002 it was reported that the facility ‘restrained children more than 300 times in holds that lasted anywhere from 20 seconds to 70 minutes.’

• Children were reported to have been held against walls, left in seclusion, and more. 

• The facility was accused of failing to discharge youth, for months to years after discharge was warranted.

• In May 2023, Christina Mendoza, LPN, was charged with criminal neglect of a patient resulting in bodily harm and failing to report abuse of a vulnerable person. As a nurse, she is a mandated reporter and was found to have ignored signs of physical harm and abuse to the youth in her care. 

• The facility faced over $350,000 in fines as a result of their inadequate treatment of youth and failure to address ongoing problems within the facility. 

Others commented on the abysmal state of the facility and its procedures for protecting the youth in its care. 

• Inspectors determined that the facility failed to ensure residents were not subject to sexual abuse as well as failing to provide a safe environment or follow their own policies related to sexual abuse.

• In June 2021, a federal inspection found that an employee gave cocaine to residents and that the facility was not clean and was, in fact, infested with pests.

• The U.S. Department of Justice investigated whether potentially hundreds of youth may have had their civil rights violated as a result of being incarcerated with this facility. 

It was not only staff who were accused of sexually abusing youth in the care of Never Give Up, however. The staff was also accused of failing to provide adequate protection for youth in regards to sexual abuse by other youth in the facility. 

• In July 2020, an 11-year-old and his guardian filed suit after claiming that Never Give Up failed to adequately protect him when he was repeatedly sexually assaulted by a 16-year-old fellow resident.

We’re Investigating Juvenile Detention Center Sexual Abuse Cases Across Nevada

Levy Konigsberg is actively investigating claims from current and former youth inmates who were sexually abused by staff at youth detention facilities across Nevada. This includes those facilities (both currently in operation and closed) with a history of documented or suspected sexual abuse and complaints, including: 

• Willow Springs Center
• Spring Mountain Treatment Center
• Rite of Passage – Silver State Academy
• Never Give Up Youth Healing Center
• Red Rock Academy
• Rite of Passage – Sierra Sage Treatment Center (a.k.a. Sierra Sage Academy)
• Seven Hills Behavioral Health Hospital
• West Hills Behavioral Center

Do I Have a Case?

You may have grounds to file a civil legal action if:

• You were sexually abused by a guard, counselor, nurse, or other youth residential treatment or juvenile detention center staff member.
• The abuse occurred at any youth residential treatment or juvenile detention facility.

Levy Konigsberg represents survivors in civil lawsuits that aim to hold youth residential treatment facilities,  juvenile detention centers, private healthcare companies, and other facility operators accountable for their failures to stop abusive staff members and protect young residents.

As civil claims, these cases are separate from any criminal proceedings that may arise from abuse and focus instead on holding institutions liable for damages. This means you may still have a claim even if:

• Your abuser is no longer alive.
• Your abuser was never charged with or convicted of a crime.

Recoverable Damages in Sexual Abuse Claims

In addition to providing accountability and a sense of justice, civil sex abuse lawsuits allow survivors to recover financial compensation for their damages, which may include:

• Past medical and mental health expenses
• Future mental health expenses, including therapy, medications, etc.
• Pain and suffering
• Emotional anguish and psychological harm
• Lost income
• Other economic and non-economic damages

Nevada Sexual Abuse Attorneys

In Nevada, the statute of limitations for civil sexual abuse lawsuits has been significantly extended to support victims in seeking justice. Under the revised statutes, victims who were under 18 at the time of the abuse have until their 38th birthday to file a lawsuit. This period includes the age of majority (18) plus an additional 20 years. There is no statute of limitations for adult victims of sexual assault, allowing them to file a lawsuit at any time. 

We are committed to protecting the most vulnerable members of our society and seeking justice for survivors of sexual abuse in juvenile detention centers and youth residential treatment facilities. Our experienced team is dedicated to providing legal representation and support to survivors, and we are actively investigating allegations of abuse. We are working tirelessly to ensure that survivors have access to justice and that future generations of young people are safe from harm within these institutions.